Tuesday, May 9, 2017

From The Baltimore Sun-A parole hearing is scheduled for 9:30 Tuesday morning for Heather Cook, the former Episcopal bishop who pleaded guilty to four criminal charges in connection with a drunk-driving crash that killed a married father of two.

Cook, 60, is serving a seven-year prison sentence on charges of vehicular manslaughter, driving while drunk, leaving the scene of an accident and texting while driving in the crash that killed Thomas Palermo as he cycled in North Baltimore.

Because Maryland law does not classify vehicular manslaughter as a violent offense, Cook becomes eligible for parole upon serving 25 percent of her sentence. She is set to reach the milestone in July.

It will be Cook's first opportunity at parole since she was sentenced and imprisoned on Oct. 27, 2015.